Gifted Connections 4

I pulled out my IV, I was becoming a pro at this, I thought self-deprecatingly.

I stretched and twisted slightly. “Better,” I admitted in surprise. “I need to brush my teeth, take a shower, and I’m starving, but I’m good.”

He stood up and stretched himself. “Come on.” He went into my wall locker and brought out my bath caddy, towels, and some clothing. “You can hop in the shower and brush your teeth before we go get some food. It’s almost lunchtime, so almost everyone should be there.”

“Where is everyone?” I asked as I gingerly stood up. My limbs felt weak and heavy, but I knew that was from disuse and not because I was crashing.

“Jace and Jaxson have been with their dad a lot since they found out about…their mom.” Lincoln explained, clearly understanding who I was looking for. “Remy and Troy are in charge of the cleanup crews upstairs. We should be able to be out of here by tomorrow. Noah is in the clinic. That healer from South Carolina did an amazing job with most of the injured. It’s mind-boggling.”

I started to move towards the door, and I felt Lincoln’s hand slide to my lower back. I jumped for a moment. I knew there was no use telling him I was okay. “Are you hiding from the girls? Is it getting old yet?”

“I live with it on a daily,” he said with a rueful smile. “There’s only so many places I can hide here, though.”

“The struggle of the rich and famous,” I teased.

“It is,” he said with the same teasing tone back.

I was confused by his…niceness. He wasn’t being sarcastic, despite the fact I had baited him. And now I didn’t know why I had felt the need to.

I opened the door to the locker room and went to grab my caddy, clothes, and towels from his hand. He pulled it back and shook his head. “I’m going in there with you.”

“The heck you are,” I stuck my hands on my hips. “We’re not there yet.”

He looked thoroughly bored but no less determined than me. “I was told by the guys not to allow you anywhere by yourself until they can see you. Only Remy seemed disgruntled by the orders, though. What is that guy's problem?”

I rolled my eyes, he was purposely baiting me and trying to push my buttons. So much for him being nicer. “Hmm, I don’t know, maybe because he doesn’t want you to be my connection.”

“I’m just as thrilled about this whole situation as he is,” Lincoln said dryly.

I glared at him. I was getting really sick of being at the receiving end of his taunts. No one liked this situation!

“Stop stalling. I’m hungry. Hop to it,” Lincoln urged me with a smirk after a few minutes of our face off. He seemed undaunted by my glare.

“You’re turning your back, and you’re not allowed to peek,” I said disgruntledly after a few minutes of the battle of our wills. I was too tired to fight him, and he wasn’t going to budge.

He gave me another smirk, and I growled before pushing the door back open. The locker room was empty, as I suspected it would be. It was the middle of the average duty day and the night shifters wouldn’t be up yet.

I made a beeline to the first shower, opened the stall door, and drew back the curtains to it. There was a little changing room with a bench and hooks when you walked into the stall.

“You may need your stuff,” he called mockingly before his bronzed hand appeared above the stall doors with the items I needed.

“Thanks,” I seethed as I placed my clothes and towel on the hooks.

I placed my shampoo, conditioner, and body wash into the shower before turning it on. Then I put my toothpaste on my toothbrush. I figured two birds, one stone. I could brush my teeth as I waited.

“You have an amazing voice and are a talented musician, have you had any formal training?” Lincoln asked disturbingly close. I had a feeling he was just outside of my curtain.

“Thanks,” I said a bit reluctantly talking around my toothbrush. “I started to legitimately train for the first time at Knightstown, but I’ve had several teachers along the way. I’ve had no vocal training, though. I really didn’t have the opportunity before then.”

“Where’d you get the scarring?” he asked next bluntly.

I stepped into the shower and froze for a moment. The change in subjects almost gave me whiplash.

“What scarring?” I stalled. I didn’t really want to get into it. I wondered how he saw them.

“They had to change you yesterday, and I saw them,” he said dryly.

I heaved a deep sigh and started to wash my hair. “My stepmom and her boyfriends were abusive,” I said in clipped tones.